Pad finger grip for electric shaver case

ABSTRACT

A pad finger grip for an electric shaver case consisting of a vinyl-metal laminate backing cut to fit a recess in the shaver case, the backing having a foam outer layer with a vinyl cover sealed to its surface and the pad backing constructed to be affixed to the shaver case with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

United States Patent 1191 11 3,725,190 Bostick 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] PAD FINGER GRIP FOR ELECTRIC [56] References-Cited SHAVER CASE UNITED STATES PATENTS [75 1 Inventor Frank Lancaster 3,130,505 4/1964 Markevitch "161/159 [73] Assignee: Schick Electric Inc., Lancaster, Pa. 3,173,826 3/1965 Campbell et a1. ..161/161 Filed Mar 31 1971 3,34l,887 9/l967 Tolmie ..220/94 R [21] Appl. No; 129,754 Primary Examiner-William J, Van Balen Attorney-Kane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan & Kurucz [52] U.S. Cl. ..161/l59, 30/34,116/110,

116/116,161/44,16l/160,161/167, [57] ABSTRACT 51 I t 161/2 A pad finger grip for an electric shaver case consisting E Li 56 34 220/94 of a vinyl-metal laminate backing cut to fit a recess in o 421855 167 the shaver case, the backing having a foam outer layer 6 6 with a vinyl cover sealed to its surface and the pad backing constructed to be affixed to the shaver case with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PAD FINGER GRIP FOR ELECTRIC SHAVER CASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electric shavers are held by the fingers during use. The holding area should allow for a firm grip and present a comfortable feel. For this purpose, pads of various types containing resilient materials are used. It is common in the art to utilize pads having semi-rigid lable characteristics which are inherent in vinyl materials such as shrinkage, plasticizer migration and incompatibility with various adhesive systems, this particular type of pad has been, for the most part, unsatisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A plush pad finger grip for an electric shaver case including in combination a metal backing plate cut toan appropriate size to fit the shaver case, a first vinyl film bonded to one surface of the plate, a foam layer on the first vinyl film, a second vinyl film overlaying the foam layer and sealed around its edges to the first vinyl film, and adhesive means on the remaining side of the backing plate whereby the plate can be attached to the shaver case.

The subject invention contemplates a construction having a backing material which is a vinyl-metal laminate wherein a thin vinyl film is permanently bonded to a thin sheet metal surface. This backing material is then die-cut to the appropriate size to fit the recess in the shaver case after which an interior foam layer and a second vinyl cover which is a decorative cover are electronically sealed to the vinyl surface of the backing plate. Due to the metal backing plate in this construction, shrinking, curling, peeling, and adhesive failures are eliminated. The resultant structure can be attached to the shaver case by means of an adhesive system wherein the metal backing plate is in contact with the shaver through the adhesive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Inthe drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shaver and case having a pad finger grip constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a segmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of .the pad shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pad shown in the FIGS. fully assembled but prior to affixing to the shaver casing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A shaver having a pad finger grip constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention is shown in the FIGS. wherein the casing supports cutter head 12 which together enclose the necessary operating parts of the device which are actuated by switch 14. The casing which is commonly formed of a hard smooth plastic material such as nylon also supports within recesses 16 on either side thereof (only one side being shown in the drawings in order to simplify the views) pad finger grips 18- one in each recess.

,vinyl backing, however, due to a number of uncontrol- 10 The pad finger grips on either side are identical and each contains a metal backing plate 20 of sheet materi al such as cold roll steel, other suitable materials can be utilized, having a thin film of vinyl 22 bonded to one of its surfaces by a suitable permanent bonding process to create a vinyl-metal laminate which in the preferred embodiment is 10 mil vinyl film and 10 to 20 mil sheet metal with 20 mil preferred. An adhesive backing 24 covered by protective paper 26 appears as a layer on the remaining surface of the plate 20 prior to affixing to the shaver case.

In manufacture the vinyl metal laminate is die-cut to the appropriate size to fit recess 16 in the shaver case. An interior foam layer 28 of vinyl foam which is supplied as a blanket and which is also cut substantially to the above dimension of the vinyl metalblanket is adjacent the remaining surface of vinyl film 22 and a decorative vinyl cover 30 of polyvinyl chloride also having a thickness in the order of 10 mil is made to overlay foam 28 and the edges of the vinyl cover 30 are electronically sealed or heat sealed by other suitable means to the vinyl surface of the vinyl metal laminate along the edges of the vinyl film 22. The decorative vinyl covering with the vinyl foam provides a pad which is soft and pliable to the touch as well as decorative.

The zone of heat sealing around the edge is indicated in the FIGS. by the numeral 32.

After construction of the pad finger grip 18 in accordance with the above, the paper 26 is removed and the pad positioned within recess 16 with the pressure sensitive adhesive 24 adjacent the case or substrate 10. Pressure is then applied causing the pressure sensitive adhesive and the pad 18 as a whole to be adhered to the case 10 within recess 16.

As seen in FIG. 3, a circular hole 34 is formed through the vinyl metal laminate combination of film 22 and plate 20. This is a breathing hole which allows escape of air which would be entrapped and build up during the operation of applying the pad 18 to the casing through the use of pressure. Also in the manufacturirig process and in the end. product small needlemade holes appear in the decorative vinyl cover 30 which can be placed therein during the application of pressure to adhere the pad 18 to the case and are included in the structure to allow breathing during this pressing operation and also allow air to pass back into the structure when the application of pressure is removed as well as to allow the structure to maintain its shape when pressure of any sort, even finger pressure, is applied during use. Holes 36, which are greatly exag' gerated and out of proportion, are shown in FIG. 2 by way of illustrating this feature.

I claim:

1. A pad finger grip for an electric shaver case including in combination a metal backing plate cut to an appropriate size to fit the shaver case, a first vinyl film bonded to one surface of said plate to form a laminate, a foam layer on said first vinyl film, said foam layer being vinyl foam in blanket form and said first vinyl layer and said backing plate being in the order of ten and twenty mils in thickness respectively, a second vinyl film overlaying said foam layer and sealed around its edges to said first vinyl film, adhesive means on the remaining side of said backing plate whereby said platecan be attached to said shaver case and connecting holes formed in said first vinyl film and said backing plate and a plurality of small diameter holes provided in said second vinyl film, said holes being formed in said respective parts for breathing. 

